Strigoi
Directed by: Faye Jackson
UK/Romania, 105 min
Cast: Catalin Paraschiv, Constantin Barbulescu, Rudi Rosenfeld, Roxana Guttmann, Camelia Maxim, Adrian Donea, Dan Popa, Vlad Jipa, Zane Jarcu
World Theatrical Premiere
It's not every day that a local film festival gets a world theatrical premiere. This year the Toronto After Dark Film Festival went from local genre festival to international film gala as they not only scored a World Premiere but a film that's a breath of fresh air in a subgenre populated by been there done that fare.
Strigoi is an endearing piece straight from the mind and heart of first time Director Faye Jackson. A subtle mix of comedy and old world lore come together to form a feast for the eyes. Faye manages to capture that old world Romanian small village feel without alienating the audience. The viewer is made to feel welcome in this different and far away land.
Strigoi follows the misadventures of Vlad, a young man who has returned home after being away at college. Upon his return, he quickly discovers that things aren't quite the way he remembered. He's being told that the local land magnate is dead, but sees him walking around during the night. Vlad changes from student to detective as he attempt to figure out exactly what is going on. Of course, he's not exactly ready for what he finds out.
Faye Jackson clearly has an eye for beauty. She has made a film that looks wonderful with locations that are absolutely charming. The Romanian village in the film couldn't be more perfect. Her skill extends to her casting ability as she manages to pull off what might otherwise seem impossible. She overcomes the difficulty of finding an English speaking Romanian cast, producing actors that are far from amateurs but rather so real, they even had local villagers fooled. Add her savvy use of music and motifs representing different characters, the film's low-key humour, and the skillful way in which she managed to show her love for the people, history and landscape of Romania without making the film seem dull, and I can't help but look forward to her next project.
The first thing that comes to mind when you mention vampires and Romania in the same sentence is probably Dracula and the words "I vant to suck your blood". Strigoi is so far from that stereotype, that to call it a "fresh look" would be to do the film an injustice. Strigoi goes back to the roots of the vampire mythos and pulls it forward through time until what remains are real world superstitions. From watching over the dead to make sure they don't rise, to dancing, to the food (lots and lots of food), you can find little aspects in the film that are pulled right from the culture of the time. In this year of True Blood and Twilight it is refreshing to find a film that still makes vampires feel new.